Art, Culture & Travel, Dance & Theatre, Lifestyle, News, Travel / 01 Mar 2021

Lagos Theatre Festival 2021: ‘Reckless Art’

The 2021 edition of the annual Lagos Theatre Festival (LTF) will run from 18 March to 21 March on digital streaming platforms such as Stage Play TV and Wealth Nation TV. Themed ‘Reckless Art’, the four-day event marks the 8th anniversary of the Festival, as well as a first for holding virtually. ‘Reckless Art’ will feature 7 production companies including Kininso Concepts, Just Theatre House, and Mystro Theatre. In addition, there will be workshops, online parties, master classes, Instagram live sessions, and panel discussions. Lagos Theatre Festival was conceived and launched in 2013 by the British Council, with the purpose of providing a platform for theatre makers in Nigeria to produce theatre works for unconventional spaces and develop audiences for theatre productions. The management of the Festival recently transitioned into the care of a registered trust, a Not-for-Profit organisation – LTF Foundation LTD/GTE managed by a board of directors – Olasupo Shasore SAN (Chairman), Bikiya Graham-Douglas, Ajoke Silva, Bolanle Austen-Peters, David Evans, Bolanle Austen-Peters and Tosin Oshinowo. During a virtual media briefing, Graham-Douglas expressed an eagerness on behalf of the team and assured that scrupulous arrangements have been effected to ensure the success of the event. “It’s not been easy. We’ve had a rough couple of months to ensure the success of the festival.” Read Seun Oduwole: Architecture as Experiential Public Art

Architecture, Architecture & Design, Design, Fashion, Lifestyle, Luxury, News, Travel / 26 Jan 2021

Lexus in Collaboration with Tosin Oshinowo and Chrissa Amuah Present a Collection of Headpieces Celebrating Innovation through Design and Craftsmanship

Last Thursday, Lexus unveiled the widely celebrated collaboration between leading Lagos-based architect and designer Tosin Oshinowo, and British-Ghanaian textiles designer Chrissa Amuah in its second act; the reveal of 4 new headpieces, representing two new district design directions: Pioneer Futures and Ògún. Commissioned by Lexus, the series explores how human movement has been redefined by the COVID-19 pandemic and reconsiders the utilitarian masks of today exploring the potential for celebration and experimentation alongside functionality. The three uniquely designed headpieces are titled Egaro, Pioneer Futures, and Ògún, which have slight alterations, and integrate multiple materials such as brass, bronze, leather, and acrylic, with detailing of hand beading, laser etching and embroidery using the West African tinko method. Working by hand with artisans that use ancient craft techniques, was matched with the use of 3D printing and advanced technologies. All three of the mask designs feature transparent panels, which allow the wearer to overcome the challenges of communicating with limited facial expressions presented by typical protective masks. Egaro takes its name from the site at Termit in eastern Niger, where archaeological evidence confirms that Africa had independently invented its own iron technology 5,000 years ago. It is a celebration of the discoveries and advancement that originated on the continent. The stencil design running across the headpieces acts as a face shield, covering the eyes, nose and mouth, offering added protection. The pattern that is etched onto the visor is called Breathe, which is inspired by the pulmonary veins of the lungs. It also follows an African fractal rhythm, which is further echoed in the embroidery seen in Pioneer Futures. Iteration one is transparent and iteration two is covered with reflective bronze, making a significant statement. Materials include moulded transparent acrylic and brass. Pioneer Futures refers to the age of enlightenment, where mankind…

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Culture & Travel, News, Travel / 22 Jan 2021

Archaeologists Discover a Temple to an Ancient Queen and 50 Stunning Sarcophagi in an Egyptian Necropolis

Archaeologists in Egypt have unearthed more than 50 sarcophagi and an ancient funerary temple at the Saqqara necropolis, just south of Cairo. Led by Egypt’s former antiquities minister, archaeologist Zahi Hawass, a team recovered intact, sealed wooden coffins carved into the shape of human figures and decorated with colourful designs. The coffins, dating to the New Kingdom period (ca. 1570–ca. 1069 BC), were buried in shafts around 35 feet underground alongside burial wells, mummies, statues of deities, and other artifacts. Hawass said the “major discoveries” also included a 13-foot papyrus scroll inscribed with text from chapter 17 of the Book of the Dead, an ancient missive directing the dead toward the underworld. Games intended to keep the dead occupied were also discovered in the funerary site, according to CBS. The funerary temple has now been identified as the burial place of Queen Neit, wife of King Teti, who was the first king of the sixth dynasty, who ruled for a dozen years. Archaeologists had been working at the site for more than 10 years but had no indication of who was buried inside until further excavation revealed Neit’s name written on a wall inside and on an obelisk. “I’d never heard of this queen before. Therefore, we add an important piece to Egyptian history,” Hawass said, adding that the dig also turned up a shaft with a limestone sarcophagus inside, a first for this location. In November 2020, the ministry of tourism and antiquities announced more than 100 painted sarcophagi discovered at the UNESCO heritage site of Saqqara, coming on the heels of a spate of discoveries in September and October. At the time, minister Khaled el-Enany said, “It is a treasure. Excavations are still underway. Whenever we empty a burial shaft of sarcophagi, we find an entrance to another.” Turns out, he was right. Opening…

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